In the months following the election of President Donald Trump, the Southern Poverty Law Center documented more than 1,000 incidents of harassment and intimidation across the country. Of the cases, more than 140 targeted Jewish people.

Republicans in Congress have scheduled a vote for mid-September on a resolution to reject the Iran nuclear deal. Conservatives are using the August recess to build up public pressure against the agreement.Former U.S. Ambassador Dan Simpson is now a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette associate editor. He has written an op-ed piece calling on Congress to approve the Iran deal. Ambassador Simpson joins us in studio along with, by phone from Israel, Gregg Roman, Community Relations Council Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh who says we have cause to be wary of Iran." Also in the studio, Stuart Pavilack, Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Office Zionist Organization of America who believes Congress should reject the deal.

For the 14th consecutive year, Jewish volunteers will spend time helping at various charities in the region on Christmas Day. The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh coordinates the events not only to help those who benefit from the work, but also to give a day off to the charities’ employees.

“Mitzvah days are done around the country in different Jewish federations. Jewish people are always looking for something to do on Christmas Day other than eat Chinese food and go to the movies,” said the federation’s Volunteer Center Coordinator Jenny Jones.